Beth Elohim Messianic Synagogue
Response to Questions concerning Parashot #13: Sh’mot and #18: Mishpatim
Exodus 3:18: G-d presented a “lesser” request to Pharaoh first so that it would appear as “no big deal” to let the Israelites go for three days. G-d used this incremental strategy so that Pharaoh would have no excuse for refusing G-d and hardening his heart.
In verse 19 G-d tells Moshe ahead of time what to expect; that Pharaoh will not let the people go even by a mighty hand. G-d will then strike Egypt with all of His wonders that He will cause to occur in front of all the people. G-d knew eventually Pharaoh would let the people go only to change his mind after they left. G-d knew this from the beginning. He knew what it would take to move Pharaoh’s heart, even temporarily, and the plagues and calamities were designed for a specific purpose as they became more horrendous.
Moshe had doubts as Chapters 4-6:30. As we read Moshe’s responses and his fear of speaking even though Aharon was designated by G-d to speak for Moshe and be a spokesman to the people for Moshe while G-d would teach them both what to do. G-d told Moshe, “You will be like G-d” (Ex. 4:10-16).
Moshe knew when Pharaoh would finally let the Israelites go, it would be for more than three days; it would be a permanent emancipation from Egypt. The trip was to be three days out to where the Israelites would worship G-d, not just for a three day “stay.” G-d told Moshe that He would make the Egyptians well-disposed to the people to the point that the Israelites would be given all sorts of silver, gold, jewelry, and clothes, which meant the Israelites were leaving for good.
We also see the progressive level of trust Moshe experienced with each of the plagues. We go from the statement in Exodus 3:11: “Moshe said to G-d, ‘Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the people out of Egypt?’ “He replied, ‘I will surely be with you. Your sign that I have sent you will be that when you have led the people out of Egypt, you will worship G-d on this mountain,’” to Exodus 5:22: “Moshe returned to Adonai and said, ‘Adonai, why have you treated the people so terribly? What has been the value of sending me? For ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has dealt terribly with this people! And you haven’t rescued your people at all!”
We see continued doubts in Chapter 6:9-13 and verses 28-30. But we finally see Moshe’s trust and faith grow in Chapter 7 as G-d laid his plan out for the Israelites deliverance from Egypt and the judgement that will befall Egypt.
With all of the doubts and fears Moshe experienced, G-d would not let him fail. He constantly encouraged him and sometimes chastised Moshe for his lack of faith and trust. However, G-d knew what a spiritually maturing Moshe would experience and He remained patient with him as he grew. We see the increase in Moshe’s confidence, faith, and trust as he and Aharon follow G-d’s instructions with each plague inflicted on Pharaoh and Egypt (Ex. 7:8-10,20.) In Chapter 8:5-11 we read of Moshe’s assertiveness when he responds to Pharaoh’s request to rid Egypt of the frogs. But we also see a side of Moshe’s compassion, even for his enemy as he cried to Adonai about the frogs that G-d had brought to Pharaoh. G-d removed the frogs but Pharaoh’s heart became even more hardened toward the Israelites and Adonai. G-d was not finished…
There are several more examples of G-d’s faithfulness to his people and Moshe’s spiritual growth with one of the best examples found in Ex. 14:13-14 where the Israelites became terrified as they saw the advancing Egyptian army and lamented that they did not remain slaves in Egypt. Moshe said “Stop being fearful! Remain steady, and you will see how Adonai is going to save you. He will do it today- today you have seen the Egyptians, but you will never see them again! Adonai will do battle for you. Just calm yourselves down!” These words have profound prophetic significance and should be internalized by G-d’s people today. We need never see ‘Egypt” that symbolizes a lifestyle that rejects G-d’s Torah. YHVH/Yahshua does battle for us daily in the physical and spiritual realm which we cannot yet see. As true believers in Messiah Yahshua, we too need to calm ourselves down and trust YHVH with an active faith in Yahshua’s sacrifice that can bring us into a saving relationship with YHVH/Yahshua that can last an eternity if we “love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart, all of your soul, and all your might/mind. And have these words which I command you this day be on your heart. And you shall teach them diligently to your children, speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you retire, and when you arise. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand and let them be frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house, and upon your gates. (Deut. 6:4-9).
Question from Exodus 4:24
Discussion regarding Moshe’s failure to circumcise his son according to G-d’s law and Tzipporah performing this procedure herself.
Moshe knew that no child could be admitted a member of the Israelite community without circumcision, nor be entitled to the blessings of G-d‘s covenant with Avraham’s seed (Gen. 17:14), but also because Moshe’s example was of great consequence; for who would have regarded the law if the lawgiver himself would have neglected it? Just as Moshe was raised up for an extraordinary service, it was especially important for him to have set the example for obedience in his own conduct, So, Adonai met Moshe and severely rebuked him. The Septuagint renders this phrase as “an angel of the L-rd by the way and sought to slay him.” There is a higher level of accountability to G-d by those who are in leadership positions such as was Moshe and are teachers of G-d’s Torah. This example of how close Moshe came to being killed because of his sin of neglecting to follow the law of circumcision for G-d’s people is reiterated in James 3:1 in the context of the high level of accountability for those in leadership positions.
The phrase “sought to kill” implies a sudden and dangerous illness, which Moshe knew was inflicted by G-d. This phrase is one that implies that it would have killed Moshe had it not been averted by Zippora’s intervention. She believed the illness was due to Moshe’s neglect to circumcise his son, rejecting the duty of an Israelites. The delay in Zipporah’s action may have been due to her own repugnance of such a rite. However, she overcame whatever hesitation she may have had and circumcised her son. She overcame her maternal aversion to the painful rite and performed the task with a sharp flint. Having brought the bloody evidence exclaimed through the painful excitement of her feelings that from love to him she had risked the life of her child. By casting the foreskin of her son at Moshe’s feet, she was
symbolically treating it as Moshe’s foreskin.
Perhaps Moshe was delaying the circumcision because they were traveling and he planned to do it after arriving in Egypt because this was the younger son, or because he planned to defer the circumcision until the boy turned 13 years old. Whatever the reason, it did not override G-d’s law concerning the circumcision that was to be done on the eighth day after birth (Gen. 17:14). Some commentators posit that Moshe delayed the circumcision because Zipporah had a repugnance to this rite. As Moshe was afflicted with some sort of debilitating illness, rendering him too weak to complete this rite, Zipporah took over the task, believing that Moshe’s illness was indeed a punishment from G-d. Once she completed the circumcision, G-d remitted his anger and allowed Moshe to recover and continue his journey.
Question Concerning Exodus 13:16 “sign on your hand and frontlets between your eyes.”
This is indeed a command also found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. It is taken by various sects of Jews to mean a few different expressions of the same thing. Let’s look at the entire command from Deuteronomy 6:4-9 which is the Sh’ma we recite every service. It is also how we begin our morning and end our day. It is also what some who are dying say before leaving this life. This passage is the crux of our faith and should be memorized: “Sh’ma Israel! Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad [ Hear o Israel, the L-rd our G-d, the L-rd is One]. (Blessed be the name of his glorious kingdom for all eternity.)
And you shall love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. And have these words which I command you this day be in your heart. And you shall teach them diligently to your children, speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you retire, and when you arise. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and let them be frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them on the doorpost of your house and upon your gates.”
In the Orthodox Jewish community, the men wrap what is called T’fillin around their hand and up around the upper arm. Usually the left side but sometimes the right. Then there is a strap with a small box that has scripture in it that when the straps are wrapped around the head, the box with the scripture is right in the middle “between the eyes” so to speak. Sometimes a headband with scripture is placed around the forehead. I can show you what this look like this Shabbat.
At the time this command was given, there were few written copies of the entire law and the people only had it read to them during Sukkot. The above scripture as I said, is the crux of our faith. Therefore, some or all of it is written on a little scroll placed inside the boxes, one of which goes around the upper arm, and the other on the middle of the forehead “between the eyes.” Some of these verses are written on a scroll and placed in the mezuzah which is attached on ones’ house and upon the gates to the house.
It is the spirit of the command that we are always aware of who we are, that our G-d is always before us, and that we are to hear, internalize, and act upon G-d’s Word in all aspects of our lives. G-d tells us in Ex. 13:9,16 that the Passover (Pesach) and all that it stands for is to serve as a “sign on your hand and as a reminder between your eyes, so that Adonai’s Torah (G-d’s Word) may be on your lips…”
Question Concerning Exodus 16:32; What happened to the manna that was preserved? Was it stored in the Arc? Was it lost?
“Moshe said, ‘Here is what Adonai has ordered:’ Let two quarts of man be kept through all your generations, so that you will be able to see the bread which I fed you in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.’ Moshe said to Aharon, “Take a jar, put in it two quarts of man, and set it aside before Adonai to be kept through all your generations.” ‘Just as Adonai ordered Moshe, Aharon set it aside before the testimony to be kept.’”
First, let’s talk about the correlation between the man or manna and Yahshua. Recall that Yahshua said “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes ni me will never be thirsty” (John6:35). The preservation of the manna symbolizes G-d’s promises that will never fail. Just as the manna was provided every day, believers can rest assured that G-d is present and provides in ways that we may not even expect. Holding onto memories of G-d’s provision throughout the generations through the preservation of the manna serves as a source of strength and encouragement as we go through life.
By keeping a portion of the manna which translates as “what is it?,” the Israelites were reminded not only of G-d’s provision, but their reliance on G-d for their daily bread; both the physical and the spiritual. The Israelites were to pass down this remembrance to their children and grandchildren, sharing their faith which strengthens the community of believers and ties each successive generation to the ones before. We also learn through the narrative of the manna that G-d is patient yet requires that His people worship Him according to His commands/instructions, not ours.
The omer of manna, which is about two quarts, was to be placed in a jar and placed in the L-rd’s presence. G-d faithfully provided the manna for 40 years, until the time they entered the Promised Land. It was to serve as a constant reminder of the L-rd’s faithfulness. The manna was kept in the Ark of the Covenant and the provision was to last 40 years, until they reached Canaan.
The daily manna disappeared when the Israelites reached Canaan, but the commanded omer of manna was still placed near the holiest place in Israel’s worship, in the sanctuary. This preserved manna embodied trust; manna could not be stored for days except this preserved portion. The manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant along with Aharon’s rod and the Tablets of the Covenant.
G-d’s Torah does not tell us what happened, the trail disappearing after the Babylonian destruction in 587 BCE. Jewish tradition and some writings suggest that Jeremiah or faithful priests hid some of the sacred items before the fall of Jerusalem. Others assume the items were lost to history.
The lack of a definitive, accurate conclusion does not diminish the meaning and purpose of the preserved manna, which I consider a constant reminder of G-d’s provision, grace, patience, and the fact that G-d/Yahshua remains with His people no matter where they are from generation to generation. He is the Bread of Life through his own words who will provide for and preserve his people even unto reaching the Promised Land described in Revelation.
Questions from Parashah #18: Mishpatim
Exodus 23:19-20 The first question is about the command not to boil a kid in its mother’s milk. This was a common fertility ritual practice of the pagan nations that surrounded the Israelites at the time of the writing. G-d demands that His people remain separate and holy. The Canaanite texts show this to be a magic spell, so the prescription is more ritual than humane. It was a custom that when the pagans had gathered in all of their fruits, they would take a kid and boil it in the milk of its mother. Then using magic, they would sprinkle with it all their trees, orchards, fields, and gardens think this would make them fruitful and more abundant the next year.
This is the verse where many Orthodox Jews and those of some of the other Jewish sects base their prohibitions on mixing meat and dairy, which is not substantiated in G-d’s Torah. However, this subject is for another study and will not be addressed further in this response. The deeper meaning of the command is that we are to be compassionate. This law also alludes to the idea of rejecting partnership between a mother and the death of her offspring. It is against nature to make the mother an accomplice in the death of her child. Unfortunately, with a growing number of people who disregard any sanctity of life, we are witnessing legal cases whereby the mother is found to have harmed, sold, or even killed her child/children, or have knowingly assisted others in these heinous acts.
Exodus 23:20 The next question is “Who is this “Angel?” Is this referring to Yahshua HaMashiach?”
Indeed, you are correct. There are many scriptures whereby Yahshua manifests himself as an Angel. But in this passage we also see the interplay between G-d’s law and grace. Note that in verse 20 and forward it reads: “I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared.” We see a more accurate and deeper revelation of this scripture when we go to the translation found in the Septuagint: And behold, I send my angel before thy face, that he may keep thee in the way, that he may bring thee into the land which I have prepared for thee. Take heed to thyself and harken to him, and disobey him not; for he will not give way to thee, for my name is on him.”
Notice that G-d is referring to His angel as “having my name on him..” This is a direct reference to Yahshua who is G-d and whose Name is found within the translation of the Paleo-Hebrew Tetragrammaton or G-d’s Name YHVH: Yud (Hand) Heh (Behold), Vav (Nail/hook) Heh (Behold). Yahshua as G-d’s Angel is acting on the “grace” attribute of God.
Then we see a switch of persons to the personal pronoun “I” found in verses 22-3 where we see an example of G-d’s attribute of “judgement.” The interplay between G-d as Yahshua and G-d as Father may be likened to references in G-d’s Torah of the column of cloud and the column of fire we see surrounding the Israelites as they traversed the desert journey. G-d’s grace and law, or in the context of this response, judgment. Let’s read: “But if you listen to what he says and do everything I tell you, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes. When my angel goes ahead of you and brings you to the Emori, Hitti, P’rizi, Kena’ani, Hivi, and Y’vusi, I will make an end of them.”
Question about using G-d’s name versus the Rabbinic tradition against it
The Tetragrammaton of G-d’s Name is spelled YHVH. There is no W in Hebrew. The above response to one of your previous questions explains the Tetragrammaton and the correct translation from the Paleo-Hebrew.
There is no biblical prohibition against using G-d’s name as you say, with respect. Various names for G-d are used for various reasons. HaShem is a name often used simply to avoid using the name “G-d” or “YHVH.” The use of the name “L-rd,” El Shaddai, Adonai, Elohim, are used to describe the essence of G-d’s purpose at the time the various terms are used. For example, El Shaddai was used early in the establishment and growth of the Israelite nation. El Shaddai means El- mighty or strong and Shaddai “breast or teat, both of which emphasize G-d’s nurturing and sustaining role.
Again, you may use any of G-d’s Names with respect as He has made clear that his Name is YHVH and that there will come a day when the nations will no longer call Him by Baal names (names of other gods) described in Hosea 2:16-23.
Shalom v’brachas,
Rabbi Tamah Davis-Hart